# Help with nail stamper



## mycatsaysmeow (Dec 13, 2011)

Alright, so I created an account just for this question. I was going to by myself a nail stamper thing for Christmas, but I'm not sure whether or not I should get the machine like this: 





or if I should get just the little stamp like this:





I think I prefer the second option because it looks like the user has more control over designs, which I like, but that also means it would be harder (It also looks more portable, which is a big plus). However, since I've never used one or owned one or even seen one in a place that's not the internet, I'm not sure if my judgment is best. Advice please?


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## Annelle (Dec 14, 2011)

I think the past discussion on the top picture is that it helps out people who seem to have troubles with the stamper since it helps to do the stamping for you.  (forces your finger to be in the stamper correctly so your stamps will always be aligned "properly")

But my own experience in the stamp is this...an expert in the item will ALWAYS make it look easy and flawless, but a beginner is going to struggle no matter which thing they try.  so whichever one you get will be awkward at first but after you learn it you should be fine.  I've only got experience in using the 2nd version (I bought my konad kit at an expo...the guy showing examples made it look super duper easy.  I had many failed nails before I started getting it right lol.)

You might want to base it on your own...hand eye fingernail coordination?

I personally like the flexibility to stamp however I want to, so I can make greater use out of the designs, and choosing exactly where I want to put them and what direction I want to put them.


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## divadoll (Dec 14, 2011)

I was having difficulty using the manual stamper/scraper so I thought I'd buy the stamper machine to see if it was easier.  I wasn't scraping the excess polish correctly when I do it myself.  Not enough polish was remaining so the image never comes out clear.  I found it easier to scrape with the machine and transfer it to the silicone surface with the machine but I don't put my finger inside.  

I just pull the silicone stamper out and use it manually for better control.  I get a perfect scrape and transfer every time.  The round templates fit inside but it moves around a bit because its much smaller.  

Go for the machine kit because it comes with templates and polish too.  Don't forget to take the plastic cover off the metal templates and don't forget to scrape the silicone pad abit with a nail file.  It works much better if you 'rough up' the surface a bit. 

Welcome to MUT.  You may have joined for this one question but I hope you stick around for more.


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## mycatsaysmeow (Dec 14, 2011)

> Originally Posted by *Annelle* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I personally like the flexibility to stamp however I want to, so I can make greater use out of the designs, and choosing exactly where I want to put them and what direction I want to put them.



That was exactly my thoughts for using the manual stamper. Hopefully my hand eye fingernail coordination is good!



> Originally Posted by *divadoll* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Go for the machine kit because it comes with templates and polish too.  Don't forget to take the plastic cover off the metal templates and don't forget to scrape the silicone pad abit with a nail file.  It works much better if you 'rough up' the surface a bit.
> 
> Welcome to MUT.  You may have joined for this one question but I hope you stick around for more.


Haha, I just used the pictures for examples, they weren't the actual products I was intending to buy. I just bought my supplies, and I just ordered things separately. It seems cheaper. 

I will likely come back. I love beauty tips!

Thanks you two! I went with the manual stamper.


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## Annelle (Dec 14, 2011)

> Originally Posted by *divadoll* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> I just pull the silicone stamper out and use it manually for better control.  I get a perfect scrape and transfer every time.  The round templates fit inside but it moves around a bit because its much smaller.


 That's actually good to know.  The hardest part of my learning curve was to get that perfect scrape.  Usually out of 10 fingers, I'll get 4-6 perfect scrapes, but I'll get at least a few nails where it takes me 3-5 tries before I get that perfect scrape.  (It's not that bad for me though since Konad time is my release time so I'm fine with sitting around for a while playing with my nails lol)

oh FYI you want to scrape lightly -- You don't need to worry about getting a perfectly "clean" scrape.  That was my problem the first few times is I was scraping HARD and it'd only pull up 5-10% of the stamp.  Once I learned the right pressure to scrape, the stamps would turn out fine.  You can see on the stamp if you have a good transfer or not, after that it's just placing on the nail. expect to need some practice time before you get it right though!  I've heard that people like their stamper filed a bit too, but my OCD (ok so I don't really have OCD) - I want it to look brand new so I don't want to smudge mine up =/ (I was the kid who received the sticker book and was really excited about it, but I'd never peel off the stickers and place em anywhere cause it'd be permanently there and I didn't know if I'd want to change them later to some place better - or place em lightly then try to put them back into the sticker sheet, lining it back into it's original spot like a puzzle piece when I was done...and then realize 5 years later that I never actually used any of the stickers in that book)

If you're able to pull the stamper out and use it manually, that takes care of the flexibility of stamping that I would be concerned about.  A guaranteed perfect scrape every time would be nice lol.  Then it's just a matter of whether you have the extra storage space for the machine, which unfortunately I don't have right now =/


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## Bonnie Krupa (Dec 14, 2011)

Can you just buy that machine without all the extra stuff?  I'd be interested in trying it out


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## BrightsideBabe (Dec 14, 2011)

I started as a newbie with just the Konad stamper and scraper which cost $3 on Amazon.  Then I bought some bundle monster plates for around $20 for 21 plates or so, I think it was.  It definitely takes some practice to get it all down pat so it's really a question of your patience.  I don't own the machine but I am assuming it'd make the process easier. Good luck!


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## divadoll (Dec 14, 2011)

There are only 2 real choices... a machine kit or manual scraper/stamper.  You can't do use the machine to do a full nail without removing the stamper pad.  If I got to try both out first, I would have bought the machine the first time around.  

I bought the manual stamper in the mall, it came with 1 konad polish (in green), 6 metal plates, 3 small containers of glitter for $30.  The machine is only $16 with 5 polish and 6 plates on ebay.


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## Bonnie Krupa (Dec 15, 2011)

oh that's not bad!


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